United States
Office of Personnel Management




Office of Merit Systems Oversight and Effectiveness
Digest of Significant Classification Decisions and Opinions
December 2001
Article No. 27-05


Standard:	Forestry, GS-460 (January 1980)
Factor:	Factor 5, Scope and Effect
Issue:	Fully meeting the criteria of Level 5-4

Identification of the Classification Issue

This article is included based on an agency's request to highlight our analysis of 
Scope and Effect in the Forestry standard.  The appellant’s position was classified 
as Forester, GS-460-11.  The appellant worked in the Supervisor’s office of a 
national forest and served as the contracting officer for all forest timber sales.  He 
was responsible for pre-award, award, administration, termination, and contract 
dispute resolution functions.  He believed his position met Level 5-4 of the GS-
460 standard. 

Resolution

OPM found that, although the appellant furnished advisory services to top forest 
management, his position did not meet the other aspects of Level 5-4.  At that 
level, the scope of the work extends to a number of locations within a broad 
geographic area, or affects the continued existence of a resource unique to a 
geographic area.  OPM concluded that the term “broad geographic area” applies to 
a second-level unit or responsibility for at least a state.  The appellant’s position 
was located in a first-level unit as that term is defined in the GS-460 standard; i.e., 
he was directly responsible for program execution and had personal dealings with 
timber purchasers and their representatives.  The fact that he worked in the 
Supervisor’s office and directed the work of employees engaged in timber sales at 
the district level within the forest was not equivalent to working in a second-level 
or comparable unit.  OPM pointed out that first- and second-level forest units are 
not analogous to supervisory levels, but rather are distinguished by the nature of 
the work performed.  In regard to the remaining Level 5-4 criteria, the appellant 
applied established methods to resolve contracting problems rather than 
developing new or vastly improved techniques.  The direct impact of his work 
was on the forest’s timber sales program rather than on the Forest Service’s 
programs or activities.  Because Level 5-4 was not fully met, OPM awarded Level 
5-3.


Link to C-0460-11-01



Digest of Significant Classification Decisions and Opinions, No. 27, December 2001